Knight Salute's future hangs in the balance after life-threatening injury

Milton Harris has been dealt a bitter blow with the news that his stable star and Grade 1-winning hurdler Knight Salute has been ruled out for the rest of the season and may never return to the track after suffering a life-threatening injury.

The popular performer, who was one of Britain's leading juvenile hurdlers last season and won the Anniversary 4-Y-O Hurdle at Aintree's Grand National meeting, injured himself when getting up under general anaesthetic after having a tooth taken out.

The four-year-old was last seen finishing third in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton last month, but his career as a racehorse now hangs in the balance.

Harris said: "He's definitely out for the season and he may never return to the track at all. He had to have a rotten tooth taken out under anaesthetic and he injured himself getting up after.

"Thankfully he's still with us, as at points we thought he might not be. At the moment we are just focusing on that he comes home, as he's been at the vets for two weeks."

Knight Salute (right): a dramatic winner at Aintree last seasonCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Knight Salute was being aimed at an ambitious tilt at the Christmas Hurdle against Constitution Hill at Kempton – the track where he won the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle last season.

"It was something we weren't expecting to happen, but it just shows you how fragile these brilliant animals are," Harris added. "He was going to go for the Christmas Hurdle, which is a big shame, but you never know what might happen.

"I know he's out for the season, but he might come back next season and we'll do what's best for the horse. We want to get him through to the other side before we see what he goes on to do next."

Knight Salute has won seven of his 16 starts, including a solo top-level win and three Grade 2 successes, as well as just over £192,000 in prize-money.

Harris could have another star juvenile waiting in the wings to take over from Knight Salute as the yard's flagbearer in Scriptwriter, an impressive winner of the Grade 2 Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham's November meeting.

He said: "Scriptwriter is in great form, but I don't know where we'll go with him next. He was going to go to Doncaster and I was hoping they were going to rearrange it for later this month, but he might go to Huntingdon or Cheltenham in January now.

"He'll also get an entry at Chepstow in the Finale Juvenile Hurdle, but all options are open."

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